A Knight in Shining Armor Read online

  Critics adore the Edilean novels from “master storyteller” (The Literary Times) Jude Deveraux. . . . Uncover the romantic secrets of the idyllic Virginia town in her unforgettable New York Times bestselling Edilean series!

  LAVENDER MORNING DAYS OF GOLD SCARLET NIGHTS THE SCENT OF JASMINE MOONLIGHT IN THE MORNING HEARTWISHES

  “Family ties, small town values and unexpected love in a picturesque setting. . . . Readers will find it hard to resist the charms of Edilean, the manor house, the town, the women of many secrets and, of course, the series to come.”

  —Publishers Weekly

  “A romance of suspense that will hook readers and leave them with a smile.”

  —Booklist

  “Deveraux’s books fairly shimmer with excitement and adventure. . . . With strong characters, down-home charm, and an intriguing story, fans will enjoy catching up with the folks from Edilean.”

  —Times Record News (Wichita Falls, TX)

  “Quick dialogue, interesting settings, and plot twists.”

  —Deseret Morning News (Salt Lake City, UT)

  “Delightful. . . . A tale to read for the simple joy of a well-crafted romance.”

  —RT Book Reviews (4½ stars)

  And don’t miss these bestsellers from Jude Deveraux, whose novels are “just plain fun to read . . . she keeps readers on the edge of their seats” (The Advocate, Baton Rouge, LA)

  SECRETS

  “A sweet love story filled with twists and turns.”

  —Booklist

  “The deceptions will keep readers trying to guess the next plot twist.”

  —RT Book Reviews

  SOMEONE TO LOVE

  “Fabulous. . . . Fast-paced. . . . Delightful paranormal romantic suspense.”

  —Harriet Klausner

  Have you ever wanted to rewrite your past? Get swept away in the magic of

  THE SUMMERHOUSE and RETURN TO SUMMERHOUSE

  “Marvelously compelling. . . . Deeply satisfying.”

  —Houston Chronicle

  “Exquisite and enchanting.”

  —BookPage

  “Entertaining summer reading.”

  —The Port St. Lucie News (FL)

  “Jude Deveraux takes a fascinating theory and runs with it. . . . A very compelling and intriguing story.”

  —RT Book Reviews

  “Deveraux is at the top of her game. . . . [She] uses the time-travel motif that was so popular in A Knight in Shining Armor, successfully updating it with a female buddy twist that will make fans smile.”

  —Booklist

  A KNIGHT IN SHINING ARMOR

  “A glorious love story that spans centuries, worlds, and souls. It is the epitome of every woman’s fantasy. . . . Enchanting and extraordinary.”

  —Daily Herald (Chicago)

  “Just might be the ultimate romance reader’s fantasy. . . . Jude Deveraux skillfully merges her unique brand of humor and historical detail with a poignant, sensual romance. She instinctively knows what every woman is searching for—her own knight in shining armor. This very special love story is sure to capture your heart, make you laugh, make you cry, and most of all, make you wish this could come true.”

  —RT Book Reviews

  Jude Deveraux’s novels are also available as eBooks

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  I dedicate this book with love

  to my editor and, more importantly,

  to my friend,

  Linda Marrow.

  Contents

  Prologue

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  Chapter Thirty

  Chapter Thirty-One

  Chapter Thirty-Two

  Chapter Thirty-Three

  Chapter Thirty-Four

  The Writing of A Knight in Shining Armor

  ‘Stranger in the Moonlight’ Excerpt

  PROLOGUE

  ENGLAND

  1564

  Nicholas was trying to concentrate on the letter to his mother, a letter that was probably the most important document he would ever write. Everything depended upon this letter: his honor, his estates, his family’s future—and his life.

  But as he wrote, he began to hear a woman weeping. Annoyed, he got up from the crude little table and looked out the tiny open window to the courtyard below. There were four men walking about, but there was no woman. Besides, Nicholas was three stories up, so he could not have heard her. The room he was in had walls so thick he could hear nothing from outside, and the oak door was heavy and bound with iron.

  “She is not of this world,” he told himself, then gave a shiver as he crossed himself. He sat back down at the table and again began to write.

  But the moment he sat down, he heard her again. Her weeping had been soft at first, but it was growing louder.

  For a moment, Nicholas cocked his head to one side and listened. Yes, she was weeping, but her tears were not from fear, or even from grief. No, he could feel that the source of her pain came from something deeper.

  “No!” he said aloud. He did not have the time to try to understand this woman, whether she was of flesh or spirit. Right now, his need was as great as hers. He gave his attention back to the letter, but he could not concentrate. The woman’s tears were pulling him to her. She needed something, but he could not tell what. Did she need comfort? Soothing? What did she want of him?

  Putting down his quill, he ran his hand over his eyes. The woman’s tears were filling his head. No, he thought, what she needed was hope. The weeping was from a person who no longer had hope.

  Determined to turn his mind back to his own problems, Nicholas looked back at the letter. The woman’s problems were not his. If he did not finish this letter and give it to the waiting messenger soon, his own life would be without hope.

  Nicholas wrote two more lines, but then he had to stop. The crying was increasing, growing louder. As it increased in volume, it seemed to grow inside until it filled every corner of the room—and every nook inside his brain.

  “Lady,” he whispered, his voice filled with desperation, “give me peace. I would give my life to help you, but I cannot. My life is pledged elsewhere.”

  Again, he picked up the pen and tried to write, this time with his other hand over his ear, doing his best to block out the sounds from the woman.

  But Nicholas couldn’t stop hearing her. He dropped the quill, ink running across the document as he put both hands over his ears and closed his eyes tight. “What would you have of me?” he cried. “I would give you all that I can, but I have nothing left to give.”